Security through the use of tokens and automatically downloaded applets

• US 6,327,662 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1998
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Araujo, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): HUA, LY
• Application Number:
  US09/164,209
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 713/201
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2564 for a higher-layer protocol, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A method and system for providing security during use of an intermediate device which represents clients to a central site. In one embodiment of the invention, an intermediate device includes memory. The memory of the intermediate device is adapted to a store a deliverable security applet. Additionally, the intermediate device is configured to download the deliverable security applet to a desired location. The present embodiment also includes a client which is coupled to the intermediate device. The client is adapted to receive the deliverable security applet from the intermediate device when the intermediate device downloads the deliverable security applet to the client. In so doing, the client can be prompted to respond to requests for authentication of the client when the requests for authentication of the client are received by the intermediate device.

Claims

1. A system for providing security during use of an intermediate device which represents clients to a central site, said system comprising:

an intermediate device, said intermediate device including memory adapted to a store a deliverable security applet, said intermediate device configured to download said deliverable security applet to a desired location; and

a client coupled to said intermediate device, said client adapted to receive said deliverable security applet from said intermediate device when said intermediate device downloads said deliverable security applet to said client such that said client can be prompted to respond to requests for authentication of said client when said requests for authentication of said client are received by said intermediate device.

2. The system of claim 1 for providing security during use of an intermediate device wherein said intermediate device is a Network Address Translator (NAT).

3. The system of claim 1 for providing security during use of an intermediate device wherein said deliverable security applet is adapted to run on multiple client operating systems.

4. The system of claim 1 for providing security during use of an intermediate device wherein said deliverable security applet is a JAVA applet.

5. The system of claim 1 for providing security during use of an intermediate device wherein said deliverable security applet executes on a browser program running on said client.

6. The system of claim 1 for providing security during use of an intermediate device wherein said deliverable security applet is adapted to prompt a user of said client for authentication information when said requests for authentication of said client are received by said intermediate device.

7. The system of claim 1 for providing security during use of an intermediate device wherein said intermediate device is further adapted to download said deliverable security applet to a selected at least one of a plurality of said clients.

8. An intermediate device adapted for providing authentication of a client coupled to said intermediate device, said intermediate device comprising:

memory adapted to a store a deliverable security applet, said intermediate device configured to download said deliverable security applet to a desired client such that said client can be prompted to respond to requests for authentication of said client when said requests for authentication of said client are received by said intermediate device.

9. The intermediate device of claim 8 adapted for providing authentication of a client coupled to said intermediate device wherein said intermediate device is a Network Address Translator (NAT).

10. The intermediate device of claim 8 adapted for providing authentication of a client coupled to said intermediate device wherein said deliverable security applet is adapted to run on multiple client operating systems.

11. The intermediate device of claim 8 adapted for providing authentication of a client coupled to said intermediate device wherein said deliverable security applet is a JAVA applet.

12. The intermediate device of claim 8 adapted for providing authentication of a client coupled to said intermediate device wherein said deliverable security applet executes on a browser program running on said client.

13. The intermediate device of claim 8 adapted for providing authentication of a client coupled to said intermediate device wherein said deliverable security applet is adapted to prompt a user of said client for authentication information when said requests for authentication of said client are received by said intermediate device.

14. The intermediate device of claim 8 adapted for providing authentication of a client coupled to said intermediate device wherein said intermediate device is further adapted to download said deliverable security applet to a selected at least one of a plurality of said clients.

15. A method for providing authentication of a client coupled to an intermediate device, said method comprising the steps of:

a) storing a deliverable security applet in memory of an intermediate device; and

b) downloading said deliverable security applet to a desired client such that said client can be prompted to respond to requests for authentication of said client when said requests for authentication of said client are received by said intermediate device.

16. The method for providing authentication of a client coupled to an intermediate device as recited in claim 15 wherein step a) comprises:

storing said deliverable security applet in memory of a Network Address Translator (NAT).

17. The method for providing authentication of a client coupled to an intermediate device as recited in claim 15 wherein step a) comprises:

storing a deliverable security applet in memory of an intermediate device wherein said deliverable security applet is adapted to run on multiple client operating systems.

18. The method for providing authentication of a client coupled to an intermediate device as recited in claim 15 wherein step a) comprises:

storing a deliverable security JAVA applet in memory of an intermediate device.

19. The method for providing authentication of a client coupled to an intermediate device as recited in claim 15 wherein step a) comprises:

storing a deliverable security applet in memory of an intermediate device wherein said deliverable security applet is executable on a browser program running on a client.

20. The method for providing authentication of a client coupled to an intermediate device as recited in claim 15 wherein step b) comprises:

downloading said deliverable security applet to a desired client such that a user of said client can be prompted to respond to requests for authentication of said client when said requests for authentication of said client are received by said intermediate device.

21. The method for providing authentication of a client coupled to an intermediate device as recited in claim 15 wherein step b) comprises:

downloading said deliverable security applet to a selected at least one of a plurality of said clients.

22. In a computer system having a processor coupled to a bus, a computer readable medium coupled to said bus and having stored therein a computer program that when executed by said processor causes said computer system to implement a method for providing authentication of a client coupled to an intermediate device, said method comprising the steps of:

a) storing a deliverable security applet in memory of an intermediate device; and

b) downloading said deliverable security applet to a desired client such that said client can be prompted to respond to requests for authentication of said client when said requests for authentication of said client are received by said intermediate device.

23. A computer readable memory unit as described in claim 22 wherein step a) of said computer implemented method stored on said computer readable medium further comprises:

storing said deliverable security applet in memory of a Network Address Translator (NAT).

24. A computer readable memory unit as described in claim 22 wherein step a) of said computer implemented method stored on said computer readable medium further comprises:

storing a deliverable security applet in memory of an intermediate device wherein said deliverable security applet is adapted to run on multiple client operating systems.

25. A computer readable memory unit as described in claim 22 wherein step a) of said computer implemented method stored on said computer readable medium further comprises:

storing a deliverable security JAVA applet in memory of an intermediate device.

26. A computer readable memory unit as described in claim 22 wherein step a) of said computer implemented method stored on said computer readable medium further comprises:

storing a deliverable security applet in memory of an intermediate device wherein said deliverable security applet is executable on a browser program running on a client.

27. A computer readable memory unit as described in claim 22 wherein step b) of said computer implemented method stored on said computer readable medium further comprises:

downloading said deliverable security applet to a desired client such that a user of said client can be prompted to respond to requests for authentication of said client when said requests for authentication of said client are received by said intermediate device.

28. A computer readable memory unit as described in claim 22 wherein step b) of said computer implemented method stored on said computer readable medium further comprises:

downloading said deliverable security applet to a selected at least one of a plurality of said clients.